When it comes to lots-of-minutes animation projects, most businesses choose to outsource to a professional partner. However, they’re also worried about how the vendor manages the project, especially if that is their first collaboration. Can they meet the timeline or quality consistency throughout a long series? Therefore, in the article, we want to share some effective tips that you can use when working with a vendor. This is how F.Learning, as an animation studio, ensures animated video production project management for a big scope. Check it out and apply them to your next production projects.
Successful tips to manage big-scoped animation projects
- Maintain clear communication from start to end
- Utilize video production project management tools
- Control feedback and review the process.
#1 Maintain clear communication from start to end
Before starting the production, F.Learning always discusses fully and clearly with clients every aspect of the projects. They include objectives, audiences, requirements, budgets, and timelines.
And we need you, clients, to be open to sharing with us your expectations as detailed as possible. Only in this way can we understand, advise, and offer the best option that matches your budget.
Besides, each type of animated video works best for different purposes and requires a different amount of time to produce. A clear brief helps us estimate exactly how much work needs to be done and allocate an achievable production timeline.
After both agree on every aspect like content, types, or concepts, remember to ask the vendor for a detailed plan. It should show the deadlines of the illustration day, feedback day, animation day, etc., for every single video in the series. You’ll want to closely follow the timeline of project management for video production. You can also actively know when and what you need to do during the production.
Take a demo timeline that F.Learning used when working for a client Exp Design, for example. Exp Design is an eLearning design agency that specializes in custom design service courses to corporate training. Thanks to this table, we are both clear about the timeline and what to expect from each deadline.
During the production, we always maintain communication to keep all the stakeholders on the same page. Any unexpected change will be discussed within 15 minutes to adjust the timeline that is most favorable for both sides.
#2 Utilize video project management tools
We all know that emails are official and necessary. However, to monitor and keep track of the production timeline all the time, you might need another management tool. Its logical data organization helps to save time, especially when there are a lot of tasks with an overlapping timeline.
In F.Learning, we use ClickUp because it’s flexible and customizable. Some big names like Airbnb, Uber, and Nike are all using this productive platform in operation.
Below we organize each video in the project by its status of production. As a result, both F.Learning and clients know the exact remaining workload of the project. It helps us to have any adjustment in production time if necessary to commit to the deadline.
While in each task, we have a detailed description of the input, output, guide, assignee, to-do lists, and deadline. It also includes the comment function so that all the stakeholders can see all quick discussions in one space.
You can give ClickUp a try or any other platforms or tools that you find effective and easy to use.
Check out the other 5 highly-recommended platforms at
#3 Control feedback and review process
The feedback and review process might become endless if you and your partner do not know how to control it. Our suggestion is to always try to finish each review stage within 2-3 revised versions.
In an animation video production, F.Learning asks for the client to review in three stages. One for the storyboard, one for the draft, and one for the implemented edits. As we have a deep understanding of their brief, most of our reviews are approved right from the first version.
That’s why clear communication from the start of the project plays an important part at this point. The more comprehensive and clear the brief is, the less back-and-forth feedback is. This can help to speed up the production time, which benefits big-scoped projects.
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Back to our project management for video production for the long-term partner Exp Design. After a few first videos worked together, F.Learning recommends a new process to save approval time for the project. We re-evaluate favorite concepts of Exp Design from previous videos and then create three concept guidelines for different requirement levels. Exp Design will pick one among three for every next video. That saves us a week of working for each video production in the project.
Take a deeper look at our collaboration with Exp Design at:
Wrapping up
The three time-saving tips for animated video production project management above all work effectively for all F.Learning’s successful projects. And they help us to meet the tight deadline of all type of projects no matter how big the scope is. Well, we hope that our tips will work with your projects too.
And if you’re still on the way to finding a trusted animation studio, give F.Learning a try. We’re ready for a 30-minute free discussion right now!
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Sean Bui, the founder and creative director of F.Learning Studio, is a respected leader in the e-learning and multimedia production industry. With over 10 years of experience, he has dedicated his career to helping organizations create engaging and impactful learning experiences.
Under his leadership, F.Learning Studio has grown into a trusted partner for organizations in the education, healthcare, and corporate training sectors, producing over 2,000 minutes of educational animation.
